


Side Effects of Eternity

by Zerotaste



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, No details given about death but it's a big theme
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-26
Updated: 2018-09-26
Packaged: 2019-07-17 20:12:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16102955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zerotaste/pseuds/Zerotaste
Summary: For someone born with such a heavy curse upon him, he's been blessed with such precious friends and memories. One day he hopes he can look back on those and smile, rather than having them bring tears to his eyes before he's three photos into a photo album.





	Side Effects of Eternity

**Author's Note:**

> Take note of the tags, this does talk about characters dying. It is however all off screen/no explicit details are given.

Blowing a long strand of hair from his vision he frowns. Perhaps he should cut it again, it's starting to resemble his brothers preferred style a little too much. Though as the only part of his appearance that changes with any noticeable frequency these days it is nice to let it do its thing. Glancing in the mirror across from where he lays he tucks it behind an ear. It kind of makes him look a bit older too when it's long, a relief as the rest of his body has aged all of about two years since he turned 18.

There's people he's known in his life who would have given anything for this seemingly eternal youth. They're people he tries not to think about for too long at any given time these days. He doesn't know if that will ever become easier. For someone born with such a heavy curse upon him, he's been blessed with such precious friends and memories. One day he hopes he can look back on those and smile, rather than having them bring tears to his eyes before he's three photos into a photo album. Shaking his head he pushes those thoughts from his mind. Whenever he dwells on them bad news seems to follow.

Outside the door he can hear footsteps and a muffled voice. He can't make out the words but he recognises the tone. Mao. A small smile flits across his face, his Maa-kun is back. He'll be able to distract him. Cuddling up against his chest and taking solace in his arms is a comfort Ritsu is thankful he still has.

When the sounds on the other side of the door die down, he pushes himself into a sitting position. Perhaps Mao managed to find that soda again, the one they discontinued a couple of years back but can still be found shoved in the back of the drinks fridge in some more remote convenience stores. Even if he hasn't it's fine, the easy comfort Mao brings him is far better than any discontinued drink.

As the handle moves, his attention focuses entirely on it. Immediately he can tell something’s off. Closing his eyes tight he begs higher powers he's long learnt either don't exist or just don't care for him. Not again, please not again.

Mao opens the bedroom door slowly, without a word of greeting. When Ritsu manages to crack his eyes open again, he sees exactly the sight he was hoping not to. Silent tears run down Mao's face as he stares at the phone in his hand. For what feels like hours he simply stands there lost. His lips move but nothing slips past them. He's clearly having trouble speaking and when the words do come, they're simply,

 "It's Makoto."

 Ritsu doesn't need any further explanation, Mao only cries like this for one reason and it's a reason that's happening more and more often these days. These calls bearing bad news are like a cruel joke. Even when he was younger he knew there would come a time when he'd have to deal with this but as the years had gone on he'd never wanted to accept it. Mao had seemed to come to terms with this inevitability before he had but Mao had probably weighed it up when he'd made his choice. Unlike Ritsu, this wasn't a 'life' pre-destined for him.

This is something he will always feel bad about. Mao begged him for this eternal half life that they have, said he couldn't stand for Ritsu to go through this alone and then to be alone after he too succumbed to his mortality, but that means Mao must now experience this too.

 "He was the last one Ricchan." Tears rain harder as he manages to speak again, voice raspy, broken and raw.

His heart aches not only at the loss of yet another friend but at the finality of it all for Mao. There are still others they know, holding on to their last years of life but to lose the last of his tight knit group of friends and ex-group members? It hurts more than anything else. Ritsu remembers how distraught he'd been when Tsukasa had left Ritsu himself as the last remaining piece on their board.

Silently he reaches out, letting Mao crumple against him as he begins to sob openly. As the heat of Mao's tears hits his shoulder, he feels his own floodgates break.

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is definitely the worst thing I have written for this fandom.
> 
> If you wish to shout at me for this or other atrocities I've written, I'm @idolthirst on Twitter


End file.
